Rabbi Zvi Teichman – The Far Side
The very first world war broke out in the days of Avraham. The alliance of the Four Kings quashes the rebellion of the group of Five Kings — among them king of Sodom and its illustrious citizen Lot — taking them all captive together with all their possessions. ויבא הפליט — Then there came a […]
Rabbi Zvi Teichman – Finding Yourself
Rabbi Simon said: The Holy One blessed be He, שלש מציאות מצא — found three [precious] finds: Avraham, as it is written: ומצאת —You found his heart נאמן — faithful before You” (נחמיה ט ח) David, as it is written: “מצאתי — I found David, עבדי — My servant” (תהלים פט כא) Israel, as it […]
Rabbi Zvi Teichman – I’m Seeking You
After partaking from the forbidden fruit Adam and Chava subsequently hear G-d’s voice moving about in the garden, go and hide among the trees in the garden. ויקרא — G-d called out to them אַיֶַכָּה — “Where are you?” Adam responds that he hid out of fear since he was ‘naked’. G-d asks מי הגיד […]
Rabbi Zvi Teichman – Is Everybody Happy?
The Yom Tov of joy is upon us. After a month of Elul followed by the uplifting Days of Awe, we are ready to celebrate and explode with happiness for the lot in life we have each been fortunate to have been granted. The question remains, “Is everybody happy?” The Tur famously quotes his brother […]
Rabbi Zvi Teichman – Jewish Pride
On Rosh Hashana we recite chapter 27 from Tehillim seven times prior to the blowing of the Shofar. We pray that ‘He [G-d] will choose for us our heritage, the גאון יעקב — pride of Yaakov that He loves forever.’ What exactly is the ‘pride’ of Yaakov? The root word of גאון is גאה to […]
Rabbi Zvi Teichman – E-ZPass to Teshuva
Two weeks ago we read: “And it will be, when all these things come upon you the blessing and the curse which I have set before you והשבות — that you will consider בלבבך — in your heart, among all the nations where the Lord your G-d has banished you, ושבת — and you will […]
Rabbi Zvi Teichman on Parshas Nitzavim Vayelech – Seize the Moment
Ben Azai teaches that אין לך אדם שאין לו שעה — There is no man who does not have his hour. (אבות ד ג) The Chassidic masters understand this lesson not in the sense that every man has his ‘moment’, but more accurately שעה in the context of being cared for, G-d turning to him, […]
Rabbi Zvi Teichman on Parshas Ki Savo – Home Grown Curses
This week we read the Admonition, the slew of curses that will befall our nation if we do not adhere to the Torah. The total number of curses enumerated is oddly listed in Midrash as being ‘one hundred less two’. The Kli Yakar explains this anomaly by observing that there are ninety-eight curses clearly defined […]
Rabbi Zvi Teichman on Parshas Ki Seitzei – Take the Chill Out
Twenty-eight years ago, I arrived in Baltimore with my family to assume the role of Principal of the High School at Talmudical Academy of Baltimore. For nine marvelous years I had the privilege of educating a remarkable and colorful group of students, hopefully inspiring them with life lessons culled from our precious Torah. It is […]
Rabbi Zvi Teichman on Parshas Shoftim – Tear Down This Wall
But if a man, שונא — hates his fellow, lies in wait for him and rises up against him, ומכה נפש — and strikes him mortally, ומת — and he dies, and he flees to one of these cities [of refuge], the elders of his town shall have him brought back from there and shall […]